Each Friday the Charlotte women's basketball team will be featured in a
notebook detailing news and notes surrounding the program leading into the
2012-13 season. Each notebook will feature a series of highlights, a short
Q&A with a member of the coaching staff and videos with the 49ers players.

In-depth information on the program can also be found on the Charlotte women's
basketball program's official twitter feed @CharlotteWBB. Be sure to watch this
week's videos with Jessica Johnson (here), and Gabby Tyler (here).

NotesFall Break
With the University observing a two-day Fall Break this past Monday and
Tuesday, the Charlotte 49ers women's basketball program used the opportunity to
allow everyone some time off. Players and coaches went their separate ways,
focusing on rest and relaxation before coming back for a Tuesday night practice
with a renewed energy.

Uptown Tip OffThe annual Basketball Tip Off was Wednesday in Uptown Charlotte and again
the Charlotte 49ers women's basketball program had a large presence. Each
member of the coaching staff was on hand, as were players Tori Carter, Kira
Gordon, Shequana Harris and Olivia Rankin to meet and greet with fans and the
local business community. Schedules were distributed and tickets were
purchased.

Video DayThursday prior to practice was spent shooting videos with the athletic
department's media production staff, AJ Mead and Sean Crawford. Each player and
coach did a short video which will be included in the media guide later and
then players also recorded intros for Basketball Madness next week and the
video board during games. Keep an eye out for the various videos throughout the
season.

Twitter
If you haven't already, be sure to follow the various Twitter feeds of the
athletic department and women's basketball program.
The official athletic department Twitter account is @Charlotte49ers, while you can
also follow @49erGameDay for in-game updates and notes once the season starts.
Specifically to the program, @CharlotteWBB is the primary women's basketball
feed. Head coach Cara Consuegra can also be followed by checking @cconsuegra.

Q&A with Assistant Coach Joanne
Aluka-White1. Being the newest member of the
staff, what do you feel you can contribute to continue the program's rise?Being a loyal assistant by helping Cara in whatever capacity she needs
right now. I'm working with the post players right now, really concentrating on
developing that part of the game. I want our post players to be more
aggressive. I am also a new and different voice for the team.

2. You played in the 2004 Summer Olympics.
What about that experience do you take with you daily?Really, it was just the opportunity to be around some of the great
athletes, both in the States or around the world. I was able to witness some of
the special moments in the Olympics. Both of my parents are Nigerian and they
came here and being honored with the opportunity to play with that team. We
made history as the first African nation to win a game in the Olympics (Nigeria
defeated South Korea).

3. When did you first decide you wanted
to be a coach?Probably around my junior or senior year at Middle Tennessee. I really
enjoyed my experience as a Blue Raider. My head coach, associate head coach and
other assistant coaches really gave me the opportunity to learn and grow as a
player. Everything wasn't great but I definitely grew as a person. I learned a
lot about myself and being able to persevere. To have the opportunity to give
that same experience to young women is what I mostly enjoy. It's not just about
Xs and Os, but it's about developing young people and getting them prepared for
life after college.

4. What about Charlotte interested you in
coming here?It's a growing city. The University is a beautiful campus. When I came on
my interview, I felt like this was the hidden gem of the South. As a youngster,
I had always heard of Charlotte and I have family here. But, I never really had
the opportunity to visit and see the campus. The facilities are great, the
people are very welcoming. It's a family environment and it's close to my home,
Augusta, Ga. It was a win-win and great on all fronts.

5. Where do you see this program in five
years?At the rate at which it's moving, with bringing in football and with what
we have done with women's basketball, we intend to continue the winning
tradition. We want to bring more experiences of the NCAA Tournament and be very
competitive. I think we can be one of the very top mid-major programs, possibly
moving up from there. It will take a lot of work but I definitely think the
right people are in place, from our athletic director to our head coach and
overall coaches. Cara has a great vision for this program and with our staff, I
think we can definitely, with our work ethic and the kids we are looking to
bring in, we can be a top contender in the NCAA Tournament.

Charlotte women's basketball will open the 2012-13 campaign with an exhibition
against Johnson C. Smith November 3 at 7 p.m. in Halton Arena. A week later,
November 10, the 49ers begin the regular season with a 6 p.m. tip against North
Carolina Central.

Season tickets are on-sale now starting at $30 and
are available by calling 704-687-4949 or visiting the "Tickets" menu
option at Charlotte49ers.com.